November 20, 2007
Tuesday AM

Ketchikan, Alaska - Six men face federal charges as a result of an investigation by U.S. Forest Service Law Enforcement personel with the assistance of the Alaska State Troopers. The six men, three from Prince of Wales Island and three from Metlakatla, were charged with a total of 26 charges as a result of illegal deer harvesting on Tongass National Forest lands, Forest Service law enforcement officials have disclosed.

The incident that led to the charges occurred on October 3, 2007, when two vehicles were observed by a Forest Service law enforcement officer leaving a Forest road that was gated and locked, and closed to motorized vehicles. The lock to the road appeared to have been shot off, according to law enforcement officials for the Forest Service.

Of the 26 charges, 18 were federal subsistence violations, under Title 36 of the Code of Federal Regulations, part 242. The site of the majority of the infractions was specifically in the Indian Creek area on Prince of Wales Island, and Forest Service Road 2016000.

The incident involved damage to government property, use of an artificial light to take big game, (spotlighting), being on a closed road, failing to validate harvest tickets, shooting from a road, and taking a doe out of season. The maximum penalty for each charge is $5000 fine and/or 6 months in prison.

The men were not identified.

Source of News:

USFS - Tongass National Forest
www.fs.fed.us

 

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Ketchikan, Alaska